A Not So Fateful Encounter
by thatdamfangirl23
Summary: What happened in Albania no longer stays in Albania. Featuring an exasperated Reyna, a disgusted Nico and a very confused Coach Hedge.


****Oh look, it's another vaguely humorous one shot! I saw a post on Tumblr about a year ago and I remembered it and wrote this. I have to say, it took me forever, but it's done and I love Reyna, Nico and Hedge. So, without further ado and without more annoying authors note, enjoy!****

****disclaimer: I own neither Percy Jackson, Harry Potter nor Pokémon. In fact, I have little to no knowledge of Pokémon and I had to look up the names of any that aren't Pikachu. ****

Reyna isn't entirely sure why she is surrounded by dead ghosts wearing t-shirts with Pokémon on them, or why they are bowing to Nico. She also isn't sure why Coach Hedge looks so scandalised. Of course, she doesn't really know what she is doing in… well; she doesn't really know where they are.

Nico had assured her that he knew where he was going. If she had been more observant, she would have seen the slight doubt and worry on his face that told her he had no idea what he was doing because he is a small thirteen year old boy.

There's a reason Reyna likes to do things on her own.

As she looks up at Nico now, she sees his face is drawn tight, almost embarrassed. She wonders why until one of the ghosts (who has a Pikachu shirt) floats up.

"My lord." He says. "We have completed your mission from the last time you visited Albania."

Nico winces slightly. "That's… good." He says, his Italian accent slipping into his voice.

The ghost holds out what looks to be a deck of cards. "I have collected all of the Pikachus." He says with a reverence that does not go with the word Pikachu. Another ghost comes forward claiming to have collected all of the Squirtle Pokémon. Another holds out a bunch of Bulbasaurs. Not that Reyna knows what any of those are.

The Pokémon trend came to Camp Jupiter of course. New demigods bought in the trading cards and next thing you knew, every shop in New Rome was selling them. Things were made worse when a son of Vulcan figured out how to make technology work. This meant they could all play that incessantly frustrating game Pokémon Go. Reyna remembers not being able to hold proper war games for weeks.

Nico nods awkwardly. "That's great, guys."

"We are honoured to collect Pokémon for you, my lord. Will there be anything else today?"

"Uh… no thanks." He says. "That… uh… that will be all?" he claps twice.

"My lord." The ghost nods his head and disappears after handing Nico his cards.

Reyna peers in confusion at the assortment of Pokémon cards in his hands. "What was all that about?" she asks, not knowing if she wants to know the answer.

"I saw it on a cartoon once." He replies. "That's what they did to get rid of…"

"Not the clapping, you idiot. The trading cards and the ghosts. Why were they collecting Pokémon cards for you?"

Nico winces once more. "I… it was a result of my, ah, childish behaviour years ago. He says. "I was slightly obsessed with Pokémon, like every ten year old and when a shadowtravelling trip went wrong…"

"That doesn't answer my question."

He shrugs. It looks like that's all she's getting out of him today.  
They walk up and out of the clearing that Nico's shadow travel unceremoniously dumped them in grumbling slightly between themselves. It is only when they've scaled a mountain that they realise the coach is not with them.

Absolutely typical.

Growling under her breath, Reyna pulls Nico by the hand down the mountain again where they were. The two wander around the clearing before the coaches voice calls them from somewhere. Reyna follows the sound, Nico trailing after her with the Pokémon cards still clutched in his hands.

They find the fau – satyr hunched over what appears to be a tree branch but on closer inspection seems to be breathing which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Reyna edges warily up to the coach who glances at her. She peers down at the branch like lump. She immediately flinches and looks away (which she is not proud of). Then again, even the bravest demigod would.

The figure the coach has found is grotesque, its face pasty grey and sallow. It is without a nose, two snake like nostrils being the only remainder and the eyes are sunken and deep crimson, staring straight at Reyna. This time she doesn't flinch.  
Her inspection is interrupted by Nico who comes flying into the clearing after presumably tripping over his own feet; he still looks exhausted after his shadowtravelling. He gets up grumbling about tree roots and Reyna has to hide a giggle. The son of Hades is rather endearing.

She turns to the coach and gestures to the figure on the ground. "What is this?" she asks.

The coach shrugs. "Couldn't say, but I think it's more of a who than a what."

Nico looks carefully, bending low and scrutinising the figure. "I think," He says, "That it's Gollum."

Reyna is just as confused as she was before he said it. Hedge looks at her, as if to say: what is this kid on about?

She asks him just that.

His face is oddly comical. "You mean you've never seen Lord of the Rings?"

"What?"

Nico's eyes grow wide. "I thought everyone knew it. I suppose you never really had a chance."

"No." Reyna agrees, not wanting to go into her past. "What is a Gollum?"

"Who is Gollum. He corrects. "He's a thing that looks vaguely human but he's small and wrinkled and skinny… gods I'm rubbish at describing. He looks like that thing down there."

Reyna once again looks down at the thing. As she bends down to examine it further, she is surprised by its fist connecting with her face; she thought it was catatonic.

She rubs her cheek angrily and grabs a dagger from her belt, ready to defend herself. She hears the tell-tale swish of Nico's sword being drawn.

The figure glares at her and Reyna is taken back by the intensity.

The next thing she knows, she is on the floor several metres away and wincing at what is sure to be inconveniently torn ligament or something of that nature. Nico and coach hedge lie scattered around her, groaning.

She leaps up, ignoring the pain which flares up like a wall of flame and protests against her every move. The creature is still there, only it is now accompanied by what appears to be a huge snake which is hissing violently at Reyna as she creeps closer.

"Who are you?" she asks of the creature who she is now sure is sentient. Whether it can speak English or not is another question. After all, they are in Albania.

Apparently it can.

"Leave this place, girl." It says in a rasping weak voice. Reyna blanches at the dismissive label.

"In the name of the roman legion, I command you to tell me who you are." She says, ignoring it. Him, if she had to guess.

"Leave!" he cries.

"Tell me who you are." She repeats once more, not budging and her arms crossed in the perfect picture of a praetor.

"I am the dark lord." He says, glaring. Reyna almost laughs but holds it in.

"Excuse me?"

"I am the dark lord Voldemort." He explains. "Leave this place now or you will regret it."

"And what," Reyna says, "exactly are you going to do to me?"

"You have no idea of my power." he warns, although it is quite hard to take him seriously as he glares up at her as a child would. In fact, Reyna swears it is exactly the same face she used to use on Hylla.

"You have no idea of mine." She replies evenly. To be fair, he doesn't. She is always underestimated because she is a girl and she is small. No one expects her to be able to use a veritable armoury of weapons as if they are an extension of her limb. She is not the best warrior at Camp Jupiter for nothing. This creature on the other hand is right. She really does know nothing about him. He supposedly has some kind of energy blast power if it was him who blasted her and the others back before, but apart from that, Reyna is clueless. That is dangerous.

Talking of the others, Nico and hedge have finally dragged themselves up off the floor and are making their way over to Reyna and the 'dark lord Voldemort.'

"What just happened?" Nico asks, rubbing his head. As he speaks, Voldemort's own head shoots up to examine the newcomers.

"Beware!" he shouts as loud as he can which, given his weak form, is not very loud. Nico raises one eyebrow and Reyna notes how good at it he has become. He probably got lessons from his father. Then he suddenly jerks away.

"That's what felt wrong!" he shouts. "You've split your soul!" he points incredulously at the creature on the ground. "That's disgusting!"

"I am the dark lord Voldemort" says the aforementioned dark lord.

"You're disgusting." Nico insists. "Revolting. Blood curdling. Repulsive. Loathsome. Abhorrent…" he seems to have run out of synonyms for disgusting.

"Evil?" coach hedge suggests.

"Maybe." He muses. "Nefarious?"

"Demonic?"

"No. too much. Heinous."

"Incredible." Voldemort offers. "Beautiful. Amazing."

Nico snaps his head round to look at him. "They're all antonyms and they're all wrong, so shut up, Gollum."

"Voldemort!"

"Whatever!"

"What were we talking about?" asks Hedge. Nico and Voldemort answer at the same time:

"His repulsiveness."

"My radiance."

"Shut up!"

Reyna doesn't know how much longer she can take it, so it is a blessing when Nico finally gives the dark lord one last glare, mutters a distinct 'disgusting' under his breath and proclaims that they are leaving. She nearly faints from joy. They walk away to the cacophonous symphony of Voldemort's voice singing his own praises and reminding them of his name. Reyna pretends not to notice when Nico sticks his middle finger up very deliberately.

It is all going well until the ghosts turn up again.

"My lord!" they clamour around Nico, making him throw his hands up in the air.

"What do you want?" he asks, exasperation colouring his tone.

"My lord." Says one of the ghosts – Reyna thinks it's the one who had the Pikachu cards earlier. "Wild dogs are threatening the Pokémon."

Nico stays still for a second before sighing. "Alright. I'll come." He walks off, trudging unwillingly away and leaves Reyna and Hedge alone.

"How long do you reckon he'll be?" the satyr asks. "I say ten minutes."

Reyna thinks for a moment. "A dollar on five."

"Done."

Nico comes back after four minutes and fifty seven seconds with a frown and several chewed up Pokémon cards. Reyna gleefully accepts the coach's dollar as she is pulled into oblivion by Nico's shadows.

She really hopes the next place they end up in will be better.

As for Albania, well, what happens in Albania stays in Albania.

****Of course, Reyna is wrong, for what happened in Albania is now common knowledge for anyone who uses this website and reads this story. Hope you liked it.****


End file.
